Learning from a speech contest judge

I was invited to be chief judge of a national speech contest the past Monday and learned a lot from it ka.

Thai students were selected from member universities of a regional program focused on mobility and 7 out of 8 sent their representatives.

Let me choose some highlights to share ka:

1. On the platform given, students were required to go through the two rounds, prepared and impromptu even in normal practice, only several selected would do the impromptu.

I myself loved this arrangement because we weren't simply going after a winner. We hoped to offer a 'less threatening/ safe' platform for students to practice and learn more about themselves with feedback from outside university people like judges to add on to their further practice/strengths.

2. Big picture was needed. Judgement of each round went along with the criteria set from content, creativity, and organization to delivery and connection to the contest topic. Thanks to the Fulbright Program, I suggested that all the contestants finish all their speech delivery for the judges to see the whole group's performance to rank them. For me, this could heighten fairness to the contestants.

3. Speech delivery for the prepared one could have been even better without any note. Most if not all the contestants brought some forms of notes with them. While it helped when they got stuck, several got carried away to look at it too often and one began to read it for several minutes.

Storytelling about their own life experiences was really powerful to touch further on the topic chosen which related to caring and sharing in ASEAN. 

4. For the impromptu round, the students were required to talk about this topic, 'What if a robot were one of the contestants'. 

We agreed that they all did real well even with only one minute to prepare ka. Several said robots could be better on the facts, not the feelings. One started linking with 'Deep Blue' and started his argument from there while another said he would teach that robot about kindness. It was fun to follow their ideas and arguments ka.

5. The overall organization of a speech contest consists of unbelievably so many fine details. If the students and universities had known, they would have increased their appreciation of the efforts not only to make it possible and smooth, but to ensure fairness and transparency ka. 

My thumbs up to both the contestants and the organizers and all behind the successes ka. I really hope the contestants felt it was one of their fruitful experiences that would lead them to enjoy more of the public speaking, reading, thinking, and sharing ka. 

Cheated Cab Driver in Hanoi

This week, I had a workshop to help run in Hanoi for member universities under GMS-UC (Greater Mekong Subregion University Consortium) on IZN, Harmonization, and Cross-border education for several days. 

Had an experience how to handle a cheated cab driver in Hanoi to share ka.

Four Thais who served as experts for this workshop went back from our lunch by a cab we called from the street. While we were happily chatting, we noticed that the meter ran unusually fast so we monitored it closely from there. We knew how much it cost on our way to the lunch at 78,000 dong and that was the first best base.

One in the team got her phone out to vdo it and this upset the driver who said something we didn't understand but gathered it was to stop us from doing so. By then, it went up to like 300,000 dong which could be the charge from airport to town. We planned our next step to make sure we wouldn't be ripped off and stay safe at the same time.

Another in the team used google map to check the route and we agreed that once we reached the hotel, two of us from the door sides would run to get help from the hotel staff, leaving the other two on the cab (thank goodness we have the full team!) The cab driver refused to park in front of the hotel and the meter showed almost 800,000 dong. My colleague and I rushed into the hotel shouting for help. The hotel staff went with us to the driver to find that the driver said the charge was around 80,000 dong. 

We paid, yet, the first colleague planned to file a report along with several she experienced at the airport the evening earlier.  The staff didn't say anything about the incident and came to give us numbers of reliable companies for us to use later in the trip.

Lessons learned:

- Be on alert every time and knowing the approximate taxi fare is helpful.

- Vdo clip could be good evidence when things don't go right.

- Cheating cab drivers are everywhere not just Hanoi.....our Thai people cheat foreigners a lot too and it's the matter of 'how' to curb it ka.

- Going out in a team is so helpful to plan.

- Using google map is necessary so having internet connection and learning how to use the google map are needed. 

- Though the staff knew that the cab driver cheated, they didn't say a word. We discussed it and thought it was their good way not to further damage their country's image....I know we can discuss it differently, yet, it seems to be a decent way out though they'd need to alert their clients in writing too. 

- Report to make sure it will happen less helps other passengers/tourists.

Came back in one good self with lots of learning ka. 

Happiness three times!

Hello all! I'd like to share my happy moments during my very recent workshop on internationalization for PSU's international relations officers ka.

My first happiness was during the break on the first day, I noticed that a guy came close to my table and stood still to stare at me. It sure caught my attention to look at him closely to feel soooooo goooood! He's a Fulbright alum who's now working as Assistant to the President for International Affairs at Ubon U. ka. It's been a long while since we last met as he went off to get his doctorate at Cambridge U.

He told me he wasn't sure if I could recognize him and when I saw him, he felt sort of numb and couldn't move briefly! So cute to hear kaaa! I was really glad (and actually quite proud) that I could still call him correctly by his nickname too! The chats were wonderful moments I had ka. 

My first happiness is to be reconfirmed over and over again how my Fulbright ties never die kaa!

The second happiness came from one participant who said she has met me a few times in international cooperation forums and could recall my telling about serious attention paid to my 'melasma ฝ้า on my cheeks' over a decade ago!

The thing was during my fight to Hat Yai then, while I was sitting on an aisle seat, I noticed that a lady on the other aisle seat kept looking at me. I quietly had a little glance at her to see I didn't know the person. Finally, our eyes met and immediately she pointed to my melasma, asking what it was and advising that in Hat Yai, it was quite easy to remove or fade it at inexpensive costs!

I think in the meeting that day, I must have talked about 'Thais' caring' and that I'd have to go for some treatment not to bother others who could see these brown spots.

I was amazed how this participant recalled the story so vividly to greet me with her intention to look at me to check my melasma kaa!

My second happiness is the 5555 moments with happiness to realize the power of storytelling na ka nia!

The third I'd like to share was about the workshop itself ka. Besides highly active participation, I admire the two PSU's AVPs for international relations. Both are Gen Y who are so committed to promoting internationalization, not just coming up with some activities, but with their efforts to see the whole process run successfully by interviewing each international officer individually to learn of their attitudes and by trying to ensure that the work will be most relevant to the future requirements with links to EdPEx through strategic planning and training....and obviously through lots of reading and learning on their ends.

My third happiness is the deep happiness to see our younger generation take lead with humility to gain respect from their more colleagues, junior and senior alike, and proactively drive internationalization into the future toward the university's vision and missions.

Wonder why 'lots of happiness' can't be 'happinesses' na ka....narak dee og!

Cheers.